Russia (bbabo.net) - The first newborn seals this year in the Far Eastern Marine Reserve were captured by scientists on high-definition video, said Ivan Rakov, public relations specialist for the Land of the Leopard Federal State Budgetary Institution.

The mother and the baby who had just been born - with an unhealed umbilical cord, got into the frame. They lie on the coast of the island. It is noticeable how the cub tastes mother's milk.

This beach has become a rookery for seals, including during breeding. By mid-February, there were already six newborns. Larga is the only marine mammal that produces offspring in the reserve and spends a full life cycle in it. In the reserve, they breed on the shores of the islands in groups, and not single individuals on floating ice floes as in the rest of the range.

It was possible to photograph the animals thanks to new equipment - cameras with a 30x zoom, which allow you to observe the spotted seals in maximum detail and without disturbing them.

Now scientists have the opportunity to monitor seals year-round, which will allow them to get the most complete picture of their terrestrial life in their natural habitat. The collected materials will help in conducting a general census of the number of spotted seals.

“We observe childbirth, feeding, how long these processes take, we note the elements of communication between males and cubs, and much more,” said Igor Katin, a researcher at the NSCMB FEB RAS.

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The Larga, or the Far Eastern seal, is one of the seal species. The spotted seal always has one cub, which is "dressed" in a white coat. After the first molt at the age of 2-4 weeks, the babies become like adults. During the day, the cub drinks several liters of milk, while recovering by two kilograms a day.

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